CANON EOS R5 REVIEW (8K)

*UPDATE: When I talk about stabilization, I’m referring to the digital stabilization not the actual IBIS. This was incredibly easy to miss/mistake since the IBIS menu option DISAPPEARS when you have a stabilized lens attached. This makes my experience with the camera stabilization even weaker since I was utilizing BOTH EIS and IBIS and still left with lackluster stabilization. I wish Canon would have made this more obvious in camera. As is, it makes it really unintuitive as a shooter and confusing to show/discuss.

Here is my hybrid review of the Canon EOS R5.

Does it overheat? Yes.
Is it a problem? Not really.
Is the autofocus good? Yes.
Is the IBIS good? No.
Did you shoot 8K RAW? No, the filesizes are massive.
Is the 4K good? Yes.
Is 4K120 good? Yes.
Will you buy one? No.

Additional note: exporting an 8K file is a chore. I ran into so many problems trying to export this video in 8K. Anytime I tried using HVEC H.265, Premiere or Media Encoder would crash. I ultimately had to use high-bitrate H.264 with match resolution settings, but that took 18 hours to export this 43-minute video. I'm sure better systems would process faster but just something to keep in mind if you plan on shooting and editing 8K content.

I'm a hybrid-style shooter with a love of photography but a heavy emphasis on cinematic video. My opinions are based on a 10+ year career of producing video content professionally but that doesn't mean my suggestions are always right for every production or individual. There's plenty of room to disagree and approach projects from a variety of different perspectives.

My Current Gear Picks:

[_tographer]

*UPDATE: When I talk about stabilization, I’m referring to the digital stabilization not the actual IBIS. This was incredibly easy to miss/mistake since the IBIS menu option DISAPPEARS when you have a stabilized lens attached. This makes my experience with the camera stabilization even weaker since I was utilizing BOTH EIS and IBIS and still left with lackluster stabilization. I wish Canon would have made this more obvious in camera. As is, it makes it really unintuitive as a shooter and confusing to show/discuss.

[autonomous]

Hands-down the best R5 video I’ve watched so far

[FPSCHANNELSWEDEN]

All the nit picks spot on - and if we’re not out there and speak out loud - how are Canon going to know about them? Apparently they didn’t manage to figure everything out (like basics as histogram while shooting etc) for us from scratch so... great review 👍

[dadstalktech]

The H.265 4:2:2 problems are not exclusive to Canon. The issue lies with no native hardware decoding of H265 that is 4:2:2. Nvidia doesn't currently have support that in hardware (prior to the 3000 series cards - not sure if that was added or not) and I don't know if that is something they can address on existing cards with a firmware update or if that will be something down the road is enabled in new processor generations.

The difference is other cameras let you choose H.264 encoding and have lower bit rates. So, either would help - lower bit rate 4:2:2 H265 or H.264 with H.264 supported in the hardware. It is a bit puzzling, but hardware support for 4:4:4 or 4:2:0 is available but 4:2:2 is left out of the supported hardware decoding.

Interestingly enough, the new Macs may be set as the iPad actually can hardware decode H265 4:2:2 and if the new Mac processors are based on that it may be a leg-up for them.
Canon really needs to offer another codec and lower bit rate options. It is actually easier to edit the 8K RAW that it is any of the other formats recorded in H265 4:2:2.

The R5 is a great camera but it could have been so much better. Perhaps if it just overheated but the files were worth it people would view it differently. But, it is plagued with issue after issue that detracts from the overall experience and potential. Each issue compounds the negatives to the point that for many it is too much.

This comment, BTW, comes from an R5 owner. I work around all the issues but I would prefer to not have to do so. I am a hybrid shooter, heavy on the stills side, but I have a YouTube channel as well and I am not sure I will switch to the R5 from my 80D for my A-cam but will likely use it for b-roll and other specialty shots.

Thanks for the video!

[vhc]

I realize the majority of the A7SIII Utube "reviews" are Sony "sponsored" but there have been quite a few assertions--the A7SIII is a superior photographer's camera over the R5. How is this possible considering the MP differences between the two other than the low light advantage? Thanks.

[JonathanRosenberry]

This is one of the most insightful R5 videos I've ever seen. And I've sadly watched most of them on YouTube. I am a 1dx iii user, and luckily I can see the audio metering when recording, whereas it looks like you can't see it on the r5 when recording, which I haven't heard anyone mention. Also, I've heard mixed reviews on the ibis. More recently, people seem to be disappointed. My perfect video camera would be the 1dx iii with ibis, haha. Maybe the R1 will have this. Thanks for your review.

[loudandclearmedia]

This is one of the best, most balanced videos I've seen on the R5. I only wish you'd gone into dynamic range, noise, and the usefulness of downscaling 8K to a 4K finish as it pertains to downscaling noise. Shooting 6K RED and delivering in 4K has shown me that downscaling noise is indeed effective to clean it up and you can shoot at much higher ISO values without having to denoise in post. The R5 having no histogram while shooting is a bigger deal than I think a lot of people realize. Does it have zebras, and are those active while shooting, or just no exposure tools at all?

[magnus]

Great Review, and detailed break down. What is more disappointing for you, the fact that the Camera has limitations, or the fact that you know that Canon is limiting the camera, intentionally? Or do you think Canon doesn't realize that people are annoyed by these limitations? Again, I agree with your review 100%. So good and very detailed!

[robertm]

The things not mentioned in the video were the crop modes and external recording up to 4K 60 FPS. Both of those help to mitigate overheating.

[simonyoung]

Good review and interesting findings. Didn't know the R5 cropped in on the image even when using regular IBIS with no digital enhancements, if this is correct, you are the only one claiming this, it is very disappointing. One thing I do think is overlooked though is the 4K crop mode, which is oversampled from 5.1mpx, looking very similar to the 4KHQ. This mode isn't affected by thermal cutoff either. No other Canon mirrorless offers a s35 oversampled readout in 10bit c-log.

[robertm]

This is the fairest review that I have seen so far. So many reviewers are claiming that the video is unusable when it is just annoying to use. R5 video is not for every workflow or temperament. Some will love it. Some will hate it. Some people only use the video side and still love it.

[jasonnowwhat]

I’ve always found your findings on what settings disappear during recording so frustrating with Canon’s hybrid cameras. You can bring back the meter after hitting record by pressing the meter (*) button, but it’s kind of annoying when other cameras just keep that exposure tool on at all times.

[camxiong]

I don't see what's wrong with working with regular 4k....most film makers want that softer/organic look anyways.

[dadstalktech]

What camera did you record the 1080p120? The R5 doesn't support 1080p120, only 1080p60? I am guessing you included the 1080p120 from another camera as a comparison to

[KeatonWard]

I just saw you in a TikTok ad about cleaning baking sheets?! So random lol

[raybeckon]

Canon's codecs are big and the log profiles are sub-par making workflow cumbersome. Heating is besides the point. This may be a photo camera, but as a video friendly gear as it was originally heavily pushed by Canon, or even as a hybrid camera, sorry, no thanks.

[MichaelCarson]

Yes, that backdrop looks very familiar... I'm curious on how much work you've been getting lately in the valley and your general opinion on projects out here. To me it always feels a bit weird and sparse. Maybe you feel differently!

[davidroberts]

Please forgive me if I missed it, but were the pieces to camera in the desert filmed on the R5? If so, could you tell me which mode they were filmed in (8k, 4K, 4khq etc.) please?
Many thanks for your very informative video.

[kelb]

44 min video with no timestamps.. come on bro

Edit: sucked it up and watched it from start to finish. Great video.

[caseybachmeyer]

Can i put clog2 in camera in the menue? Because if i put my settings on 8k raw i still cant find clog2 on my menue